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The '''Root Server System Advisory Committee (RSSAC)''' was created under the Article VII Section 3 (b) of the ICANN Bylaws, which gave the [[ICANN Board]] the mandate to appoint the initial Chairman of the Committee, after which the following chairman was to be elected by the members of the committee. [[Jun Murai]] was appointed as the first chairman of the RSSAC.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/biog/murai.htm www.icann.org]</ref>
The '''Root Server System Advisory Committee (RSSAC)''' advises the ICANN Community and Board on issues pertaining to the operation, administration, security, and integrity of the Internet's Root Server System.<ref> [https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/rssac-4c-2012-02-25-en Root Server System Advisory Committee]</ref> RSSAC was also tasked to review the number, location, and distribution of the root name server and its total system performance, robustness, and reliability .It was created under the Article VII Section 3 (b) of the ICANN Bylaws, which gave the [[ICANN Board]] the mandate to appoint the initial Chairman of the Committee, after which the following chairman was to be elected by the members of the committee. [[Jun Murai]] was appointed as the first chairman of the RSSAC.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/biog/murai.htm www.icann.org]</ref>


==Responsibility==
==Responsibilities==
RSSAC was delegated to advise the ICANN Board regarding the operational requirements of the [[Root Name Servers|root name servers]] of the [[DNS|Domain Name System]] (DNS), which includes hardware capacities, operating systems, name server versions, network connectivity, physical environment as well as its security aspects. RSSAC was also tasked to review the number, location, and distribution of the root name server and its total system performance, robustness, and reliability.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/general/archive-bylaws/bylaws-06nov98.htm#VI Article VII Section (3)b Original Bylaws]</ref>
RSSAC has the following responsibilities, per the [[ICANN Bylaws]]:
# Communicate on matters relating to the operation of the Root Servers and their multiple instances with the Internet technical community and the ICANN community. The RSSAC shall gather and articulate requirements to offer to those engaged in technical revision of the protocols and best common practices related to the operation of DNS servers.
# Communicate on matters relating to the administration of the Root Zone with those who have direct responsibility for that administration. These matters include the processes and procedures for the production of the Root Zone File.
# Engage in ongoing threat assessment and risk analysis of the Root Server System and recommend any necessary audit activity to assess the current status of root servers and the root zone.
# Respond to requests for information or opinions from the Board.
# Report periodically to the Board on its activities.
# Make policy recommendations to the ICANN community and Board.


==RSSAC Projects==
===RSSAC Policy Advice Development===
Since its inception, the committee continuously performs projects under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA)<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/committees/dns-root/crada.htm CRADA]</ref> between [[ICANN]], the [[NIST|National Institute for Standards and Technology]] (NIST), and [[NTIA|National Telecommunications and Information Administration]] (NTIA), to conduct a collaborative study to address the operational and technical requirements of the root name servers to be able to establish a more robust and secure management of the Internet [[DNS]] root server system.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/committees/dns-root/ www.icann.org]</ref>
The RSSAC follows six basic steps to develop the advice it provides the [[ICANN Board]] and community on the operation, administration, security, and integrity of the Internet’s Root Server System.<ref>[https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/files/rssac-000-op-procedures-01sep20-en.pdf RSSAC Procedures]</ref>
#An RSSAC or RSSAC Caucus member proposes a work item, which can include requests from the ICANN Board, and then submits a statement of work for the RSSAC to consider.
#The RSSAC reviews the statement of work, and if it is approved, a work party of either RSSAC or RSSAC Caucus members is formed.
#The work party writes a draft document, which its leader circulates for review and comment among RSSAC members and then RSSAC Caucus members.
#The work party submits the document to the RSSAC for a vote.
#The RSSAC shares the document with those it might affect and submits it for [[Public Comment]] proceedings.
#The RSSAC publishes the approved document and tracks its effects.
 
==Structure==
===Representatives===
The RSSAC consists of voting representatives from each of the 12 organizations responsible for operating the 13 root name servers and alternates to each of these. It also includes non-voting liaisons from a number of functions related to services pertaining to the root zone. The [[RSSAC Caucus]] provides a pool of expertise, to which the representatives of the 13 root name servers can turn to form work parties and draft advice documents.  
 
The current composition is available at [https://www.icann.org/groups/rssac/ RSSAC's official web page]. 
 
'''Voting Members'''
{| class="wikitable"
!Root Server Operator
!Representative
!Term Expires
!Alternate
|-
|[[Verisign]]
|[[Brad Verd]]
|31 December 2024
|N/A
|-
|[[University of Southern California – Information Sciences Institute]]
|[[Wes Hardaker]]
|31 December 2023
|[[Suzanne Woolf]]
|-
|[[Cogent Communications|Cogent]]
|[[Paul Vixie]]
|31 December 2023
|[[Brad Belanger]]
|-
|[[University of Maryland – ACIGS]]
|[[Karl Reuss]]
|31 December 2022
|[[Gerry Sneeringer]]
|-
|[[NASA Ames Research Center]]
|[[Barbara Schleckser]]
|31 December 2022
|[[Tom Miglin]]
|-
|[[Internet Systems Consortium]]
|[[Jeff Osborn]] (Chair)
|31 December 2024
|Robert Carolina
|-
|[[Defense Information Systems Agency]]
|John Augenstein
|31 December 2022
|Jill Place
|-
|[[U.S. Army Research Lab]]
|[[Howard Kash]]
|31 December 2022
|[[Kenneth Renard]] (Vice Chair)
|-
|[[Netnod]]
|[[Lars-Johan Liman]]
|31 December 2024
|[[Patrik Fältström]]
|-
|[[RIPE NCC]]
|Hans Petter Holen
|31 December 2023
|Paul de Weerd
|-
|[[ICANN]]
|[[Matt Larson]]
|31 December 2024
|[[Terry Manderson]]
|-
|[[WIDE Project]]
|[[Jun Murai]]
|31 December 2023
|[[Hiro Hotta]]
|}
 
===Liaisons to RSSAC===
There are four liaisons to the RSSAC from other organizations within the Internet community:
{| class="wikitable"
! Organization || Liaison
|-
| [[IANA]] || [[James Mitchell]]
|-
| [[Root Zone|Root Zone Maintainer]] ([[Verisign]]) || [[Duane Wessels]]
|-
| Internet Architecture Board ([[IAB]]) || [[Daniel Migault]]
|-
| [[SSAC]] || [[Russ Mundy]]
 
|}


The RSSAC was also involved in the Y2K Project between 1999 to 2000. Its objective was to make sure that the operations of the root nameserver system is in compliance with Y2K protocol by conducting administrative services and testing.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/committees/dns-root/y2k-statement.htm RSSAC Statement on Root Nameserver Year 2000 Status]</ref>
===Liaisons from RSSAC to Other Organizations===
RSSAC appoints liaisons to other groups and organizations to coordinate or communicate matters of common interest, as required by the [[RSSAC Operational Procedures]]
{| class="wikitable"
!Liaison To
!Name
!Affiliation
|-
|[[ICANN Board|ICANN Board of Directors]]
|[[Wes Hardaker]]
|[[University of Southern California – Information Sciences Institute]]
|-
|[[Customer Standing Committee]]
|[[Kenneth Renard]]
|[[U.S. Army Research Lab]]
|-
|[[Root Zone Evolution Review Committee]]
|[[Daniel Migault]]
|[[IAB]] liaison to RSSAC
|-
|[[NomCom|ICANN Nominating Committee]]
|[[Amir Qayyum]]
|[[ICANN]] community
|}


The committee is also conducting new technical developments on [[IPv6]], [[DNSSEC]], [[IDN]], and their effects to the root nameserver system.
===Other Appointments===
{| class="wikitable"
| '''Team/Committee''' || '''RSSAC Rep'''
|-
| [[CCWG-Accountability Work Stream 2|Work Stream 2 – Community Coordination Group]] || [[Robert Carolina]]
|-
| ICANN [[Fellowship Program]] Selection Committee || [[Gaurav Kansal]]
|-
| ICANN [[Fellowship Program]] Mentoring Committee || [[Afifa Abbas]]
|-
| [[IANA]] Naming Function Review Team ([[IFRT]]) || [[Suzanne Woolf]]
|-
| [[NextGen@ICANN]] Selection Committee || [[Abdulkarim Oloyede]]
|-
| [[NextGen@ICANN]] Mentoring Committee || [[Dessalegn Yehuala]]
|}
*


== WCL Independent Review on RSSAC==
===Previous Leaders===
Article IV, Section 4, Paragraph 1 of the ICANN Bylaws stipulated that a review on the performance and operations of the RSSAC by an independent organization is required to determine if the committee is still serving its purpose in the ICANN structure and if certain changes in the structure or operations are necessary to improve its functions.<ref>
{| class="wikitable"
[http://www.icann.org/en/general/archive-bylaws/bylaws-15dec02.htm#IV ICANN Bylaws 2002]</ref> To be able to comply with the Bylaws, the [[ICANN Board]] issued a Request For Proposal and Terms of Reference to conduct and independent review on the RSSAC in July, 2008.<ref>[http://192.0.43.22/en/reviews/rssac/rfp-tor-request-11jul08-en.htm Request For Proposals]</ref> ICANN selected [[Westlake Consulting Limited]], and in November of 2008, the company started performing face to face interviews with some individuals during the ICANN Meeting in Cairo and during the IETF meeting in Minnesota regarding RSSAC. WCL also conducted telephone interviews and accessed all available written-records regarding the committee. <ref>[http://192.0.43.22/en/reviews/rssac/ RSSAC Review]</ref>
! RSSAC Rep || Dates
|-
| [[Jun Murai]], Chair || January 1999 - December 2014
|-
| [[Matt Larson]], Vice Chair || August 2006 - July 2013
|-
| [[Lars-Johan Liman]], Co-Chair || July 2013 - December 2015
|-
| [[Tripti Sinha]], Co-Chair || January 2015 - October 2018
|-
| [[Brad Verd]], Co-Chair || January 2016 - October 2019
|-
| [[Fred Baker]], Co-Chair || October 2018 - October 2019
|}


===Findings===
==RSSAC Projects==
By April of 2009, WCL published its final report on the Independent Review on RSSAC with the following findings:<ref>[http://192.0.43.22/en/reviews/rssac/rssac-review-final-mar09-en.pdf WCL Final Report]</ref>
Since its inception, the committee continuously performs projects under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA)<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/committees/dns-root/crada.htm CRADA]</ref> between [[ICANN]], the [[National Institute for Standards and Technology]] (NIST), and [[NTIA|National Telecommunications and Information Administration]] (NTIA), to conduct a collaborative study to address the operational and technical requirements of the root name servers to be able to establish a more robust and secure management of the Internet [[DNS]] root server system.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/committees/dns-root/ www.icann.org]</ref>
* RSSAC only provides reactions to issues instead of regularly giving updates to the ICANN Board regarding the activities and functions of the committee.
* Communication and agreement about the expectations of the Board towards the committee is insufficient.
* RSAAC provides minimal strategic advice to the ICANN Board because the committee is dominated by independent root server operators that are focused on operations.
* The records of the RSSAC meetings are poor and incomplete.
* The election process of the members of the committee and its chairman is not clear.
* The Root Server Operators believed that some of the functions of RSSAC identified in the Bylaws of ICANN are their responsibility, and because of that the committee's reported little of its responsibilities.
* Interaction between RSSAC and the different organization within ICANN is limited because most of the committee's members do not or seldom participate in [[ICANN Meetings]]. RSSAC committee members frequently attend or conduct their meeting in conjunction with the meetings of the [[IETF]].


===Recommendations===
The RSSAC was also involved in the Y2K Project between 1999 to 2000. Its objective was to make sure that the operations of the root nameserver system are in compliance with the Y2K protocol by conducting administrative services and testing.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/committees/dns-root/y2k-statement.htm RSSAC Statement on Root Nameserver Year 2000 Status]</ref>
Based on its final report, WCL recommended the following to improve the operational functions of RSSAC:<ref>[http://192.0.43.22/en/reviews/rssac/rssac-review-final-mar09-en.pdf Final Report Independent Review on RSSAC]</ref>
* Re-establish RSSAC as a strategy group which will be jointly supervised by ICANN and Root Server Operators.
* Amend the Terms of Reference of the ICANN Bylaws and set out a new role for RSSAC to "provide a source of unbiased strategic advice to ICANN, the Root Server Operators and the Internet Community about the best way ahead for the Root Server System."
* Reconstitute RSSAC's membership with 9 initial members who have strong technical backgrounds. The committee should be composed of 4 Root Server Operators, 1 appointed by [[IANA]]; and 4 appointed by the  ICANN Board/[[NomCom|Nominating Committee]].
* The Chairman of the committee shall be appointed by its members with a two year term, with a limited three consecutive 2-years terms.
* Appoint non-voting liaison members, which include Outward liaison from the RSSAC to the ICANN Board and the [[SSAC]] and an Inward liaison to the RSSAC from [[IETF]]/[[IAB]].
* RSSAC should meet in conjunction with ICANN meetings and may be able to hold additional meetings as necessary; meetings shall be open for public participation and hold a closed meeting if necessary; Root Server Operators and members of the ICANN Board should be invited to the meeting even during closed sessions and shall be given the right to speak under the RSSAC Chairman's discretion.


===RSSAC Working Group Review on WCL Report===
The committee is also conducting new technical developments on [[IPv6]], [[DNSSEC]], [[IDN]], and their effects on the root nameserver system.
In June, 2010, the RSSAC Working Group submitted its final report regarding the findings of WCL's independent review. The Working Group acknowledged that the committee was not able to fully serve its purpose in the ICANN structure because of lack of regular communication between ICANN and RSSAC, the committee has insufficient knowledge about ICANN  and vice versa, the role and responsibilities of RSSAC as stipulated in the ICANN Bylaws need amendment and the shared understanding between the RSSAC role, Root Server Operators responsibilities and the ICANN mission is not clear. The Working Group recommended that the full cooperation of the Root Server Operators is necessary to implement structural and operational changes to improve the operations of RSSAC.<ref>[http://192.0.43.22/en/reviews/rssac/rssac-review-final-report-08jun10-en.pdf RSSAC Working Group Final Report]</ref>


==RSSAC Working Group==
==Organizational Reviews==  
The RSSAC Working Group is composed of:
Article 4.4 of the ICANN Bylaws mandates that organizational reviews should be conducted on a periodic basis to establish that a particular [[Supporting Organizations|SO]] or [[Advisory Committee|AC]] is still needed and is operating as effectively as possible.<ref>
* [[Harald Alvestrand]]
[https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/governance/bylaws-en/#article4.4 ICANN Bylaws], Article 4.4</ref> Organizational reviews are conducted by an independent examiner retained by ICANN.<ref>[https://www.icann.org/resources/reviews/org ICANN.org - Organizational Reviews]</ref>
* [[Steve Crocker]]
* [[Bruce Tonkin]]


RSSAC has been reviewed twice, in [[First RSSAC Organizational Review|2008]] and [[Second RSSAC Organizational Review|2017]].
==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}




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